Twisted Nerve (1968)

Martin is a troubled young man. With a mother who insists on treating him like a child, a stepfather who can't wait to see the back of him, and a mongoliod brother shut away in an ... See full summary »

Director:

Roy Boulting

Writers:

Leo Marks (screenplay), Roy Boulting (screenplay),

Stars:

Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, Russell Napier

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Hayley Mills	...	Susan Harper
Hywel Bennett	...	Martin Durnley / Georgie
Russell Napier	...	Professor Fuller
Billie Whitelaw	...	Joan Harper
Phyllis Calvert	...	Enid Durnley
Frank Finlay	...	Henry Durnley
Barry Foster	...	Gerry Henderson
Salmaan Peerzada	...	Shashie Kadir (as Salmaan Peer)
Christian Roberts	...	Philip Harvey
Gretchen Franklin	...	'Clarkie'
Thorley Walters	...	Sir John Forrester
Timothy West	...	Superintendant Dakin
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Timothy Bateson	...	Mr. Groom the Librarian
Richard Davies	...	'Taffy' Evans
Basil Dignam	...	Doctor

Storyline

Martin is a troubled young man. With a mother who insists on treating him like a child, a stepfather who can't wait to see the back of him, and a mongoliod brother shut away in an institution, is it any wonder he retreats into an alternate personality...that of six year old Georgie? It is Georgie who befriends Susan Harper, but friendship soon turns into obsession. When Susan begins to distance herself, something inside Georgie snaps and he embarks on a killing spree, with Susan as the next target.

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Plot Keywords:

financier | swimming | london england | psychotic | father son relationship | 

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Taglines:

Cleaver. Cleaver. Chop. Chop. First the mom and then the pop. Then we'll get the pretty girl. We'll get her right between the curl.

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Genres:

Crime | Horror | Thriller | Drama

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Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

December 1968 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Morte Tem Cara de Anjo

Filming Locations:

Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Charter Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min 104 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to a Bernard Herrmann soundtrack album, the whistler's name is Gareth Williams. Gareth Williams is also credited with some work on the orchestration of the piece.

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Quotes

Narrator: Ladies and gentlemen, because of the controversy already aroused, the producers of this film wish to re-emphasize what is already stated in the film, that there is no established scientific connection between Mongolism and psychotic or criminal behavior.

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Connections

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Madeleine"
(uncredited)
Written by John Addison and Roy Boulting

User Reviews

Slightly misguided, but still works well as a psycho thriller

Twisted Nerve doesn't seem to have a great reputation, and while the film (like its lead character) certainly does have some problems, I enjoyed this one in spite of them. The main problem people seem to have with this film (so much so that the filmmakers actually had to tack on an apology before the film starts!) stems from the fact that it seems to be professing that siblings of mongoloid children were more likely to become psychopaths. This idea is somewhat silly and I can see why it would bother some people; but seriously, this is just a thriller and while the idea is unlikely and misguided, it didn't bother me too much. It also should be noted that 'nurture' plays a big part in the lead character's mental health problems. The film focuses on Martin Durnley. His mother treats him like a child, his stepfather dislikes him and his mongoloid brother is institutionalised. He meets a young girl named Susan Harper, who takes pity on him (or rather, his alternative personality 'Georgie') after a shoplifting incident. But this soon leads to obsession for the troubled young man...

If you go into this film expecting something deep or brilliant, you will be disappointed. As mentioned, the point that the film tries to make is not well imposed and not much else about the film has any depth. Still, as a thriller it works well. The main influence for the film is clearly Hitchcock's masterpiece 'Psycho' and the two share a lot in common. The central character is interesting for the fact that he's so strange. Hywel Bennett really succeeds in creating a character that is both bizarre and completely sinister. The supporting cast isn't as great in terms of performances, but the two leading ladies are much nicer to look at. Hayley Mills delivers the typical young British female lead, while Billie Whitelaw is the real standout for me as the young girl's mother. Twisted Nerve also features a memorable tune, and possibly takes influence from Fritz Lang's M as the lead character often whistles it. The film flows well throughout and delivers the intrigue from the character actions and the situation rather than through suspense. I can see why this film is not often hailed as a classic; but if you're looking for an interesting watch and don't care about some silly ideas, Twisted Nerve comes recommended.